Colonne Duitse soldaten op appel 1941 - 1944

This photograph captures German soldiers standing in formation. It’s a small, unassuming picture, yet it speaks volumes, doesn’t it? I imagine the photographer, perhaps a soldier themselves, trying to make sense of the situation, the chaos, and the control. What were they thinking? Trying to capture a record? Documenting the power? Were they secretly documenting their own ambivalence? I’m interested in the way the greyscale flattens the figures, making them appear almost like stenciled cut-outs. The lines of soldiers stretch into the distance, fading into a blur of helmets and uniforms. Each figure is individual, yet they become part of a larger whole, a force. It’s a powerful statement on the loss of individuality within the military machine. Whether consciously or not, the artist reminds us that art can be a mirror, reflecting not just what we see, but how we see it. It’s this kind of exchange, across time and between artists, that keeps the conversation going.